Case:Bogie
Bogie was only 5 when I thought he had a bladder infection (peeing by the back door) and learned it was diabetes! My vet had treated several cats but had little experience with canine diabetes. He started my then 30 pound dog on 3 units of NPH. Using urine test strips I knew he was still at the highest for sugar and also had ketones and kept calling the vet and taking Bogie in but the vet wouldn't increase the dose. I didn't know enough at that time to question a vet. After a few weeks he stopped eating, was vomiting and had diarrhea. I called the vet after hours and got another vet that took this seriously and had me bring him in. He had lost 6 pounds and was so sick she didn't guarentee she could save him. With IV insulin, fluids and force feeding he came around and got to come home after 3 days but was still a very sick boy. He came home on 8 units and was worked up to 12 units over a couple months. It took awhile to get him regulated but by February of the next year (5 months) he was finally back to his old-self but he was having trouble seeing. He had cataract surgery in April of 2002 before he was totally blind. In late 2003 his blood sugar got out of whack and I suspected Cushings but testing didn't confirm this. We increased insulin to 15 units and still his glucose ran in the 300's for the most part and sometimes even the 400's. Even with high glucose, Bogie is one that still acts pretty good, some lethargy but not excessive thirst or peeing. He has to stay in the upper 300's and 400's for days for it to effect him this way. In Feb. 2004 a ACTH test was still inconclusive so I took him to Iowa State University for ACTH, LLDS, HDDS, radiographs and ultrasound. None of these showed Cushings either. They suggested an adrenal panel be sent to the Un. of TN. and it came back that Bogie had atypical Cushings. His sex hormones are high so his blood sugar reacts like that of an unspayed female, HIGH!!! His only symptoms for Cushings were increased appetite and high glucose. At this point we are up to 16 units 2x a day and the Lysodren isn't helping much and also made him ill, he just wasn't the dog he was before so in May of 2006 I stopped the chemo meds, stopped all supplements except his digestive enzyme and started him on Transfer Factor Plus. After 2 weeks his glucose came down, enough that I had to test his blood more frequently and give snacks. This is now Nov. 2006 and his insulin is down 2 units to 14 and his glucose is between 100-250. His liver enzymes are way down, ALT is normal and ALKP is down to 300 from 2000. Bogie has been diabetic for 5 years now and is a happy bouncing 10 year old schnauzer. In Sept. I adopted a diabetic 6 year old Chihuahua named Molly. She has been diabetic for a year now and has slight cataracts but is doing well. When I got her she was on 3 units 2 x a day and now is on 1 unit and glucose is running between 80 and 150. I suggest home blood testing to everyone! I even use the inner lip on a little Chihuahua and she is great about it! Category:Regulated cases Category:Male cases Category:Canine cases Category:Humulin N cases Category:Caninsulin cases Category:Ketoacidosis cases Category:Canine male casesCategory:Canine regulated casesCategory:Canine NPH-isophane usersCategory:Canine Cushings casesCategory:Canine ketoacidosis cases